


One Dark Night It All Started

by bgn846



Series: Vampire Batio AU (Short Stories) [1]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Vampire, Fluff, M/M, Vampire AU, Vampire Gladio, batio, gaint bats, human ignis
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-21
Updated: 2019-10-11
Packaged: 2020-10-25 08:41:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,533
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20721377
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bgn846/pseuds/bgn846
Summary: Ignis is newly arrived in the small village of Insomnis and secures a job at the local hunters guild.  He thinks things are going well enough until he meets a vampire one night.  Things do not go as planned.   Or a short story of how Ignis and Gladio meet for the first time.





	1. Carried Away

**Author's Note:**

> I saw a piece of art done by Mintfoxmimi for her Batio AU and asked if I could write some short stories for it. [Like this amazing one.](https://twitter.com/Mintfoxmimi/status/1111760123335270401) So this little project was born. I hope you all like it and there will be more!! 
> 
> A big thanks to Mintfoxmimi for letting me use her Vampire Batio AU setting (including extensive creation of the lore and human/vampire relations) for some short stories. 
> 
> Please check out Mintfoxmimi's amazing art on their [Twitter](https://twitter.com/Mintfoxmimi) and [Tumblr](https://mintfoxmimi.tumblr.com/) account!
> 
> Quick note about the town names in case they look a little odd. I used the original Latin names for Insomnia and Tenebrae, which are Insomnis and Tenebra respectively. Since this AU is not set in the modern world I didn't want to use the exact names in the game.

The ancient adage of watching your life flash before your eyes when you were dying was true. In between the moments of intense panic and running frantically Ignis’ mind was awash with memories. Strangely, they only consisted of the past two weeks. Despite this fact he was still certain things were not going to end well. Being chased by a vampire was usually not a good thing. 

Especially when said vampire stood at six foot six and had the muscles to match. He became dimly aware that he was being herded away from the town center. Ignis had only arrived in the bustling little town of Insomnis a few weeks earlier. A job position at the local hunter’s guild had awaited him courtesy of his uncle. Now though, he wished he’d never come. 

Why was fate so cruel? He’d literally been in the wrong place at the wrong time. Witnessing a meeting between two vampires in the street after an evening stroll just didn’t happen. They were supposed to be far more secretive than that. Yet here he was running away after he’d seen one of them banish their fangs in a blink of an eye. Ignis couldn’t shake the feeling of his blood running cold when the vampire’s eyes had locked with his own. He watched in morbid fear as they easily returned to a human-like state.

Without thinking Ignis had turned and bolted. Only one vampire had given chase, and it seemed to know his name. Hence his current life threatening situation and why he was running like a fool. He was going to die that night and his poor uncle would most likely think it was his fault. 

Ignis was trained as a fighter and could do quite well, but he was alone and this vampire was bigger than him. A feeling of immediate dread flooded his senses when the street he’d been running along suddenly ended. Ignis had run straight out of town and into a field of wheat. Astrals this was very bad.

There was no time to dwell on his bad decisions, when a growl from behind him nearly stopped his heart. Turning slowly Ignis was greeted by a truly terrifying sight. A giant monster now stood in front of him. Had the vampire shapeshifted or was this one of his minions? Staggering backwards Ignis managed to stay upright as he looked up in fear. Reaching for his daggers out of habit he assumed a defensive position. Maybe if he yelled like a man possessed, someone might come to his aid.

The looming shadow of muscle and teeth lunged at him the second he started screaming for help. What happened next was unexpected. Instead of having his head bit clean off Ignis was flying. Somehow he managed to hang onto his daggers after the creature had grabbed him. Two strong limbs held his arms firmly as they rose higher in the sky. The moon was low and provided enough light for Ignis to see what had attacked him. It appeared a giant winged bat was now carrying him away. 

The illogical part of his mind wanted to try and slash at the claws holding his upper arms. He quickly dismissed that idea as he’d certainly fall to his death. Realizing that he was still yelling at the top of his lungs Ignis attempted to stop. He could barely breathe from the rush of adrenaline and screaming his brains out didn’t help. 

What was going to happen to him when they landed? If they landed? This bat could merely let go and continue on its way. Ignis didn’t think he could take much more. He was already overly tired from working late the past week. Now he was going to die and that was depressing. Risking a glance downward it appeared the ground was getting closer. He’d been trying not to stare. No human ever reached these heights unless they were being carted off by a huge winged monster.

The decent back to Eos was controlled and slow. The air rushed past Ignis’ face in giant whooshes as the bat gently dropped him back to solid ground. The second its claws released Ignis’ arms he attempted to run away. His knees had other plans, they were like pudding. Crying out in desperation he collapsed on the grass. 

His body felt like molasses as he tried to roll over and raise his daggers. The opportunity to fight was taken from Ignis a second later when the bat outright pounced on him. Surprisingly he didn’t get crushed, but his arms were pinned again. Slashing at the huge bat wasn’t going to work anymore.

Ignis felt light headed as he worked to breathe in enough oxygen to stay conscious. His heart was pounding furiously at the shock of the situation. The monster tilted its large head to the side and twitched its ears as if listening for something. Then without warning it leaned forward quickly and licked his forehead. 

Momentarily stunned by the action Ignis could only manage a strangled guttural noise. Was this bat tasting him first before he ate him? The monster hovering over him was squeaking softly and sniffing his hair. On the third inhale it snorted and leaned back. Its long snout scrunched up and it sneezed. 

Unable to stifle the yell he let loose Ignis tried to scramble away. The bat was now gone and in its place stood a man, no a vampire. He shook his head a few times and looked down at Ignis. The charismatic grin he flashed did not match the mood. Ignis was still breathing raggedly and trying to figure out if he was going to in fact, die. 

“What are you going to do to me?” Ignis croaked.

“Nothing bad.” the vampire defended.

“Why did you capture me?”

“For a tactician you’re a little dense sometimes. I didn’t want you waking up the whole damn neighborhood with your yelling.”

“Wha? You attacked me! What was I supposed to do?” Ignis gaped, forgetting his predicament. 

“No, you turned white as a sheet and then --.” The vampire made a point to stop and point at him, “Then you ran away.” 

“I didn’t want to die.”

“I wasn’t out to kill you. Why would I do that?”

“I’m human!” Ignis shouted in frustration, “That’s why!”

“I don’t kill humans unless they deserve it. You are one of the good ones.”

Suddenly picking up on the fact that this vampire knew his job position Ignis couldn’t help but continue his questioning, “How do you know I’m a tactician?” 

“I’ve seen you at work. I’m a member at the guild too, but we haven’t had a chance to meet until now.”

Shuddering at the idea that a vampire had made its way into the ranks of the guild Ignis groaned out loud. “Why me?”

“Bad timing I suppose.” The vampire offered, “Its better this way, now you can help me with my research. I see you slaving over piles of paperwork all day long. They gave you that job because you’re smart.”

“Why would I help you?” Ignis asked in disbelief. 

“I may be a vampire but there are ones that are far more dangerous than me. That’s why I joined the guild. I needed to keep track of the bad apples so to speak.”

Ignis’ adrenaline rush was starting to wear off and he could feel his mind growing sluggish, “How far from town are we?”

“Close enough, I can fly us back in a jiffy.”

“NO! I don’t think I can handle that right now.” 

“Well the walk might be a little longer.”

Sighing heavily Ignis attempted to right himself. This resulted in terrible things happening. He fell straight into the vampire as he was unable to support his own weight anymore. Having his body pulled in close to the vampire Ignis wondered if maybe the giant bat wasn’t such a bad idea after all. 

Something strange was happening to his mind as they hobbled along the dirt path back to town. Things were getting fuzzy but he was fighting desperately to stay awake, “What are you doing to me?” he asked after a moment.

“I’m not going to hurt you. Relax it’s alright. Let go and sleep.”

Ignis figured he should be terrified at being this close to a vampire, but he was oddly calm. His feet were dragging more and more as they slowly walked. He remembered his knees buckling and the vampires’ deep voice telling him everything was alright. Then nothing. 

* * *

The second Ignis’ body went slack Gladio picked him up. Poor human he’d only been at the guild for barely two weeks and was already overworking himself. Hoping his charmer spell for sleep would last Gladio took his time walking back. 

Morphing into a bat once they’d neared town, Gladio was able to get Ignis up to his rooms above the guild headquarters. Using the front door wasn’t an option as it would have led to questions about what had happened. He also didn’t think Ignis would appreciate being carried inside like a sack of potatoes. 

Ignis’ room was neat despite the appalling amount of paperwork he had lying around. Why did the guild have so much stinking paperwork anyway? All they did was hunt and kill. Shaking his head in wonder Gladio gently placed Ignis on his bed. Realizing he should probably take Ignis’ boots off started a chain reaction. 

First the boots were removed, and then Gladio worried about his vest. Of course it came off next. Spectacles were not something one slept in so those had to go. His belt, that was lumpy with the dagger holsters attached, and not fun to roll around on. Astrals, Gladio had never thought about how much stuff encompassed an entire outfit. He was used to changing when his clothes needed it and that was that.

Finally when he was satisfied with Ignis’ comfort level he buried the man in blankets. Gladio was a pure bred vampire so he’d never known what it was like to be human. He did know they got cold and that was not something he wanted to have happen to Ignis. 

Ignis was an interesting human. He’d arrived from the village of Tenebra a few short weeks ago without much notice. Gladio hadn’t been in that part of the Eos for many years but he remembered it being a large community.

Merely by word of mouth Gladio had been aware that Ignis could fight. The guild preferred him to manage their day to day operations. This meant he was stuck fixing years of mismanagement instead of out fighting. Gladio had recognized Ignis’ natural planning skills right away and had tried to convince Drautos to let him go on a few hunts. The captain had always refused citing Ignis was doing hard work for the guild. The poor human was so busy Gladio hadn’t even had a chance to introduce himself properly.

Their official introduction was less than stellar, but it did give Gladio a rare opportunity to discover something important. Ignis was a dulcis. When he’d shape shifted earlier the man looked like his heart was going to stop out of shock. Gladio did the only thing he could think of at the time to try and calm Ignis down. Lick him. Animals that licked people were cute right?

It was at that moment when Gladio had caught a whiff of something unique. He had sniffed intently to confirm his suspicions. Sneezing accidentally wasn’t part of the plan. It had been enough to convince him though, Ignis was a rare dulcis. Most higher ranking vampires craved humans of this kind. 

Lore surrounding dulcis was varied and wildly inaccurate. Some believed if you drained a dulcis human of all their blood it would grant the drinker increased strength. Gladio knew this was untrue as he’d witnessed the act centuries ago. Nothing changed except an innocent human life was lost. It was somewhat comforting to know that Ignis’ dwelling was in the same building as the guild. There was always a hunter around or at least nearby. 

Gladio was thankful he’d been present earlier. Ignis had unexpectedly come down the alleyway on his way back to his rooms. The other vampire he’d been talking to was a friend and Gladio wasn’t worried about him hurting Ignis. However, he didn’t need the new guild advisor running in hollering about Gladio being a vampire. 

This thought brought up the issue Gladio had been pondering earlier. How to get Ignis to keep his secret? He wasn’t sure not killing him was enough motivation. Ignis was a tough character and did things the right way or not at all. The short time he’d been at the guild operations had improved drastically. 

Resigning himself for a wait, Gladio pursued the human’s book collection and selected a volume. He could at least entertain himself until Ignis woke up. Taking a seat near to the window but not directly in front of it he cracked open the book. Being of noble descent meant Gladio had certain abilities. Shapeshifting was his specialty as he’d already demonstrated to Ignis. His other skills were not as honed but still came in handy.

The charmer spell he placed on Ignis to help him sleep was always useful. The thing he enjoyed the most was the benefit of being able to withstand sunlight. Granted he couldn’t handle a full day in the sun, but he could go out in the late afternoon and partake in hunts. This helped Gladio blend in with the humans and hunt the more vicious of his own kind. 

Gladio was the protector of a vampire prince. His interest in human affairs stemmed from his desire to keep his charge safe. The more information he knew about both sides the better. Hoping Ignis would come around to the idea of helping him Gladio settled in for a nice read. 

* * *

Sighing contentedly Ignis rolled over and kicked his blankets away. For the first time in weeks he felt truly rested. Waking up toasty and warm helped, though he was starting to overheat. Ignis didn’t normally use this many blankets. After a moment he remembered the terrible dream he’d had. Six it was so scary, he’d been chased by a vampire. 

Stretching slowly he sat up and promptly yelled. Clapping his hands over his mouth he stared at the vampire sitting in his wing chair with wide eyes. The sound of stomping feet could be heard pounding up the stairs towards his room. 

The door knob wiggled but it was locked. The guild captain’s voice rang out a moment later, “Ignis are you alright?”

“Yes.” He squeaked. 

“What the hell is going on?” He continued not accepting the short answer.

Ignis had his eyes locked with the vampire. He was still alive and human so it had kept its word and helped him back to town. Taking a risk Ignis finally replied, “I’m sorry Drautos, I stubbed my toe badly.” 

“Are you feeling okay? It’s not like you to sleep in so late.” The captain huffed through the door.

“Late night sir, I’m sorry.” Ignis hollered back.

“Take your time kiddo, you’ve been working hard.” With that final comment the conversation ended and Ignis could hear Drautos walking away. 

“Don’t forget to limp later when you see him.” The vampire offered quietly from his chair. “Drautos will notice otherwise.”

“I could yell again and call him back!” Ignis hissed. 

The vampire merely chuckled at him. Apparently his threats were amusing, “What is your name?” Ignis demanded.

“Gladiolus of house Amicitia.”

The vampire before him had a name Ignis recognized. He’d seen the name Amicitia on many old documents. This was no ordinary night walker, “What is your end game?”

“Keep my family safe.” Gladiolus announced. 

“How do I factor into that?” Ignis queried with narrowed eyes.

“You are smart and have access to records. With your help I can better track the people that would cause my family harm.”

“Why would I help you exactly?”

“My family has been peacefully co existing with humans for nearly five hundred years. I see no reason to cease that arrangement.”

“That’s it? You like hanging out with humans and scaring the life out of them when it pleases you?”

“What?” Gladiolus frowned, “No, the only reason I picked on you last night was because you were running back here to tell everyone about me. I couldn’t let that happen.”

“You should be more careful when you reveal your true self.”

“For your information you don’t smell like a normal human, I didn’t realize you were there.”

Ignis couldn’t think of a comeback. No one had ever told him didn’t smell normal, “Do I smell bad?” he asked instead.

Gladiolus shook his head and smiled that disarming grin of his, “So will you keep my secret?”

“How do I know I can trust you?” Ignis asked since he really didn’t know how to answer the vampires’ question.

“I prove it to you. I did get you back here safely and still human.”

Humming to himself Ignis slumped back into the bed and stared at the ceiling. Maybe he could work with Gladiolus. It wasn’t unheard of for vampires to be friends with humans. Hoping it wasn’t because he felt alone in a new place and simply wanted friendship. Ignis decided to stay quiet about the vampire in the guild, “Very well, I won’t tell anyone about you.” He sighed.

A quiet laugh and an even quieter utterance of thank you met his ears. Looking up to see if Gladiolus had anything more to say revealed he had disappeared. A small squeak garnered his attention and he spun around to its source. A small impossibly fluffy bat sat near his partially opened window staring at him. Ignis could swear it was smiling but that was ludicrous, bats didn’t smile. It squeaked again and then flew off into the afternoon sun. 

Ignis eventually got his thoughts in order and got up to go back to work. Taking Gladiolus words into account he limped around his little office until most of the guild members had gone home. Drautos would give him a sympathetic look anytime he passed by. The memories of his encounter with Gladiolus flooded his senses for the rest of the night. Wondering when they’d cross paths again Ignis focused on his work. Burying himself in mountains of paperwork seemed to be the only avenue of distraction that worked. 


	2. A Hint Of Something More

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ignis gets to know a little bit more about his new vampire friend Gladio. He also discovers bats can fly up a chimney flue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This world isn't in a modern setting so I'm borrowing things from history. On one note I'll say the AU has indoor plumbing at least. haha

It had been nearly a week since Ignis had seen Gladiolus come into the guild. To be exact he hadn’t seen him since he’d flown out of his window in the form of a small fluffy bat. Ignis hadn’t told anyone about his encounter and the information he’d discovered. Perhaps Gladiolus thought he would change his mind. Admittedly Ignis had altered his habits slightly after the incident. Choosing to only go out during daylight hours, and making sure he was safe within the guild headquarters at night were two notable differences.

Ignis had asked around the guild about Gladiolus and had heard nothing but good things. The vampire by all accounts was a good fighter and tracker. He’d saved many of the hunters from certain death in his time there. Perhaps Gladiolus was a good vampire after all. 

Losing himself in his work once again Ignis hunkered down to detangle the mess of paper laid out before him. How the guild had remained functioning was a mystery. Nothing was filed where it should be. Private documents were kept out in the open for anyone to steal. Ignis knew he’d have a lot of hard work ahead of him in order to straighten out the mess.

The hours whittled away as Ignis lost himself in work. He didn’t even pause until his desk lamp began flickering. The oil must be running low, he would have to go find more. Glancing at the clock revealed it was close to three in morning. Astrals where had the time gone?

Standing up and cracking his back Ignis made his way to the storage closet. Scanning the contents indicated there was no oil to be had. Debating about whether to call it a night or to try and find another light source Ignis stood stalled in the hallway. A thought hit him suddenly; there was more lamp oil in the shed out back. 

Trudging to the back door he went to unlock it when a voice behind him called out. “I wouldn’t do that.”

“Gah! What the hell are you doing here?” Ignis shouted as he turned around quickly and tried to calm his nerves from the shock. 

“Checking on you of course, what kind of vampire do you think I am?” Gladiolus offered. 

“How long have you been here?” Ignis demanded.

“Not long, I flew in to make sure you were doing alright. I know you’ve been overworking yourself.”

“I have not been overworking myself Gladiolus.” Ignis huffed as he crossed his arms over his chest. 

“Sure --,” Gladiolus droned, “That’s why you thought it was a good idea to go outside in the middle of the night for no good reason.”

“I had a reason! I needed lamp oil!”

“Yeah that’s not a good reason. It’s prime time for us vampires so why don’t you stay inside instead?”

“I still need lamp oil.” Ignis added dryly. 

“I can get that for you easy. Hold on.” Gladiolus announced as he morphed into a tiny bat and proceeded to fly up the chimney flue. 

Ignis’ protest died on his lips as a cloud of ash fell on the hearth. Thank the six the fire had gone out long ago. Maybe this was all a dream and he wasn’t going insane. However, after pinching his arm twice he was still standing in the main room waiting for his vampire friend to bring him lamp oil. 

Unsure of how long it would take Gladiolus he began pacing the small space. How long had the vampire been there watching him? He did have a point that going outside at this hour was rather stupid. He had enough problems with seeing vampires at six in the evening. How many would he run into if he went out at three thirty in the morning? 

Ignis didn’t have time to dwell on his almost terrible decision. His attention was captured once more when a scratching sound erupted from the fireplace. Staring intently for several minutes Ignis waited to see what would appear. Finally after lots of odd noises and squeaks a bat fell out. The logistics of how a bat could bring back lamp oil bottle had escaped Ignis tired mind. It shouldn’t have been possible but Gladiolus had managed it. The small bat was now clutching an oil refill container in its feet. 

The only issue now was that the bat was covered in soot. “Why aren’t you turning back into a vampire?” Ignis questioned. 

The bat merely shook its head and squeaked. Sighing heavily Ignis reached into the fireplace and gingerly took the oil container out. Placing it aside he turned his attention back to the bat. It felt funny calling him Gladiolus when he was in this form. “Now what?” his question was rewarded with another bevy of squeaks and ear twitches. “Is there a time limit or something on your shapeshifting?” He tried.

Again the bat shook its head and gave Ignis what could only be described as a smile. Groaning Ignis carefully picked up the small creature and removed him from the fireplace. “I still don’t know what you want me to do.”

This comment got a reaction. The bat outstretched a wing and shook it. A dusting of soot came off and the animal grinned at him. Blinking slowly Ignis decided he shouldn’t have to deal with this kind of thing in life. “You want me to dust you off?” He was rewarded with a vigorous head bob. Extending his arms out Ignis headed to the kitchen.

Within twenty minutes Ignis had thoroughly brushed all the soot off of the bat. It squeaked happily and crawled around on the counter poking at containers. “Are you planning on staying in that form much longer? It’s hard to have a conversation when you can’t talk.”

The bat started to hobble over to the edge and before Ignis could react, it threw itself off. Reaching out to try and catch the small ball of fluff before it hit the floor didn’t go as planned. The moment the bat was free of the counter it morphed back into a vampire. Ignis’ attempt to save the small bat now meant he was holding Gladiolus’ right hand instead.

The grin he was met with didn’t help either. “Thanks for helping me out. I didn’t want to get soot on my clothes.” He announced while squeezing Ignis’ hand.

“Gladiolus I do wish you’d warn me somehow before you do things like that!” Ignis huffed as he tried to wrench his hand free. 

“Things like what? Fly up a chimney, jump off a counter, or fetch you lamp oil?”

Unable to answer the question Ignis simply shrugged and rolled his eyes. He was tired and needed to rest. Any ounce of energy he had left to work was now gone. He’d even stopped fighting to get Gladiolus to let go of him.

“And call me Gladio, the full name sounds to formal.” The vampire supplied. “I mean I braved the confines of the flue to get you oil. So I think that means we are friends now right?”

“This must be how you get your victims. You make them go crazy so they beg you to kill them.” Ignis sighed. 

Gladio laughed at the statement and finally released him to pat Ignis on the back. “Nah, we’re friends, I’m not gonna getcha.”

“Why me?” Ignis lamented. 

“You’re nice.”

Yawning widely and failing to cover it up caused Gladio to herd him to the stairs. “I’m fine, I still have work to do.” Ignis protested lamely as the vampire easily guided him up to his room. 

“Nope time for bed. You need to rest, you’re a human.”

“Blech -- I can stay awake for longer than you think.” There was no more time to fight back as Gladio had reached his room and was shoving him through the door. 

“Go to bed!” 

“Are you doing that thing that made me sleepy like last time?” Ignis questioned with concern as he turned to shut the door on Gladio. 

“No, you’re tired enough that I don’t have to. Promise me you’ll go to bed and not try and work more in your room?” Gladio requested with a raised eyebrow. 

“What? I wouldn’t do that.” Ignis lied. Though he was terribly tired and really did want to sleep. Something about bickering with Gladio was fun in a way. 

“I’ll charm you to sleep in a heartbeat.” Gladio threatened, despite his kind expression. “Promise me you’ll go to bed.” he pleaded.

“Hmmff fine. No more scaring me half to death though, I’ll keel over one of these days and you’ll feel bad.” What was he doing? He was having small talks with a bloody vampire. Finally Gladio nodded in approval and waited for Ignis to close the door.

Ignis was curious to see what would happen if he attempted to work. He assumed that Gladio would figure it out and continue to bother him until he slept. Opting to get some proper rest Ignis got ready for bed and was asleep within minutes. 

* * *

The minute Gladio had stepped into the alleyway behind the guild a low voice filtered through the night air. “Checking on your friend again?”

“He’s human, I have to make sure he’s safe.” Gladio defended as he walked towards the other vampire. 

“You’ve given us all strict orders to leave him be so why would you need to check on him?”

“He’s a good guy.”

The other vampire tilted his head slightly, shifting his braided hair, and stared at him. “In your two hundred and thirty years of existence you’ve never taken an interest in another human like this.” The vampire noted. “What exactly is it about this one you like so much?”

“Awww come on Nyx don’t pick on me! I know you’ve had humans as friends before.” The comment seemed to lighten the conversation.

“True. Do keep in mind if you keep sneaking away to see your human Noct will get suspicious.”

“He’s not my human!” Gladio exclaimed as the pair continued into the darkness.

“Could’ve fooled me!” Nyx laughed, “Don’t be surprised if he demands to meet him.”

Gladio stopped walked and stared at his friend. “Oh shit, he’s so totally going to do that. Dammit Ignis is gonna freak out all over again!” 

“He survived a giant bat encounter from what you’d mentioned earlier. No reason why he won’t handle meeting the prince of darkness.”

“Please don’t ever call him that.” Gladio added dryly as they started walking again. “He’ll let it go to his head. Do you really want Noct wandering around the castle prattling on about how he’s the prince of darkness?”

“What harm would it do?”

“His ego is big enough already, don’t make it worse.”

Nyx laughed again which displayed his perfectly white fangs. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you Gladio.”

Deciding to stay quiet Gladio trudged alongside his friend. He hated to admit it but Nyx was right. When Noct found out he was going to demand to be introduced to Gladio’s new human friend. Astrals, poor Ignis was in for a shock. Though, if they met that meant he could hang out more with Ignis. Maybe this wasn’t such a bad idea after all. 

* * *

Ignis was starting to wonder if he _was_ perhaps working too hard. Drautos didn’t even mention his terribly late start to the day. The man was all about pointing out other people’s flaws and he’d simply nodded a hello to Ignis. 

No one was in the kitchen as he began making his coffee. Waiting for the water to boil allowed him time to grind the beans by hand. The process was labor intensive but so worth the end result. Ignis cursed the difficulty in crafting his favorite beverage. Though, it was most likely a blessing, otherwise he’d drink it all the time.

A small smudge of ash on the corner of the counter caught his eye when he went to grab a mug. The memory of a small sooty bat came back to him. The idea that Gladio could shapeshift into something so cute was odd. Vampires were ferocious creatures; they were supposed to be scary. It was getting harder and harder to believe that notion the more Ignis interacted with Gladio. 

Entering his small office nearly caused him to drop his mug. His desk had been tidied and the new oil container was already installed in the lamp. Gladio had come down to his office and cleaned up for him while he slept. This vampire was not normal. Again he had to bury himself in work so he could focus on something other than Gladio.

Unfortunately, that tactic only worked if said vampire didn’t suddenly appear out of nowhere. 

“Don’t you ever take a break?” Gladio asked from the doorway of his office. 

Looking over Ignis felt himself smiling. “Checking on me again? I’m not going outside, besides its still daylig--.” Ignis stopped mid-sentence and stared at Gladio like he’d grown another head. “How are you out when the sun hasn’t set yet?” he hissed quietly.

Gladio rolled his eyes and wandered further into his office. “Not all of us burn up in the sunlight Ignis.”

“Shhh! Someone might hear you talking.”

The vampire perked up at the comment and sat on the edge of Ignis’ desk. “So I guess that means I don’t have to worry about you keeping my secret. Sounds like you’re are on my side.”

Ignis scoffed at the remark and pouted. “What side would that be exactly?”

“The good side.” Gladio answered like it was obvious.

“My morals are not the ones in question Gladio.”

Shrugging the vampire leaned in closer. “Think you might want to go out and grab a bite to eat?”

Quickly pushing back his chair so he was out of arms reach Ignis gawked at Gladio. “You said you weren’t going to hurt me.”

“What? No I’m not --,” Gladio fumbled, “seriously, Ignis I meant grabbing real food at the tavern down the road. Not me biting you.” He added in a whisper. 

Ignis still didn’t believe him, “You don’t eat real food.”

Sighing heavily Gladio rubbed his face with his hands. “Ignis are you a vampire?”

“No, of course not!”

“Exactly, so why would you know what I can and cannot eat.”

Pausing for a moment Ignis debated about the plausibility of Gladio’s statement. He was clearly a different vampire than most. “If you can eat than why do you need to uh – do the other thing?”

Raising an eyebrow Gladio hunched over so he could answer quietly. “I consume human blood when I need to. Otherwise I can eat regular food. I just don’t get anything out of it. I can’t really taste it, and it doesn’t give me any energy.”

“Why then?”

“It’s a social activity and some food feels good when I eat it.”

“When is the last time you drank blood?” Ignis asked with worry.

Sighing again Gladio replied. “A few days ago and before you ask, I didn’t kill anyone or turn them. There are some humans that exchange blood for protection.”

Figuring he still had a lot to learn about vampires Ignis slumped in his chair. Glancing up at Gladio’s face revealed sad amber eyes looking back. The expression made him feel terrible for questioning Gladio’s intentions. “Yes!” he blurted awkwardly after a moment of silence.

Squinting with a furrowed brow Gladio seemed to be waiting for clarification.

“I’ll go with you to the tavern. I didn’t mean to darken the mood.”

Relief poured over the vampires features. “Thank the six; I thought you might not want to be friends anymore.”

“I’m realizing I don’t know as much as I’d like about vampires.” Ignis admitted meekly. 

“Well for starters I’ll show you how one eats real food for fun.” Gladio exclaimed as he stood up. “Come on lets go I think they have garula steak on the menu tonight.”

Dinner was oddly normal. It seemed Gladio knew people at the tavern which earned them a nicer table. They ended up talking about the food more than anything else. Turns out the vampire had been on a quest to discover a food that would produce a taste in his mouth. He’d not succeeded but was still trying.

The sun had gone down by the time they’d left the tavern. Normally this would cause Ignis to be on high alert. However, with Gladio walking next to him Ignis felt at ease and was able to enjoy the stroll. 

“Do you think we will ever openly co-exist?” Ignis pondered out loud. 

Gladio shrugged and looked ahead. “Maybe, but it would take a lot of work. Humans are the weaker race. It would be very hard to instill a feeling of safety if we all suddenly showed up and wanted to make peace.”

“I suppose,” Ignis sighed, “There are more like you though right? The nice ones?”

The vampire grinned widely at the comment and nodded. “Yeah there’s more like me. If you’re interested I can introduce you to some.” 

Ignis stumbled slightly on the street. “Do you think that would be a wise idea? I don’t want to become a target.”

“I wouldn’t ever put you in harm’s way.”

“I still don’t understand why you are being so nice to me, we barely know each other.”

“I’ve got a good feeling about you Ignis. You’re smart and treat me with respect. Seems like good friend material to me.” He offered.

Humming response Ignis decided he could go along with this arrangement for a little while longer. Gladio did provide good company. He seemed to be fun to hang out with providing he didn’t fly him off somewhere as a giant bat. “What do you do when you’re not at the guild?” Ignis queried.

“I’m in the family business.” Gladio supplied, “It keeps me busy.” 

“Sounds like you have your hands full.”

“I do but it’s all good.”

“Ahh, I see.” Ignis mused. The back door to the guild appeared when they turned a corner. Ignis wasn’t sure what Gladio would do once they’d made it back. The vampire spared him from having to figure it out when they got to the door.

“I’ve got to go take care of some things, and I’m sure you will be working late again. Mind if I swing by later tonight to make sure you’re doing okay?” Gladio asked hopefully.

“I don’t see what harm it would do.” Ignis answered with a small smile. “Until later tonight then.”

Gladio grinned and clapped a hand on his shoulder. “It’ll be fun don’t worry.” He then looked to the door and back to Ignis.

“You won’t leave until I go inside will you?” Shaking his head no Gladio waited patiently. Ignis sighed and unlocked the door. Waving goodbye he went inside to his office and attempted to work. 


	3. The Dark One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Noct goes in search of Gladio's new human friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have really enjoyed writing Batio I'm hoping to come up with some more short stories after this one. Thanks again to MintFoxMimi for the AU. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy. Thanks for reading. :)

“What do you mean you can’t stay?” Noct whined.

“I’ve got other plans, but I’ll be back before dawn I promise.” Gladio offered.

“What other plans? All you do is protect me.”

“I do have a life Noct.”

“Yeah looking after me.” He tried once more with a pout. 

“Highness, you have two bodyguards. When I’m out, Iris takes over remember?”

Noct threw his hands up in the air and stormed around his spacious bedroom. “Of course I remember!” He huffed pausing to glare at Gladio. “I only want to know what you’re going to do out there”

“Stuff, what does it matter anyway?”

“You’ve been out more than usual. Is there something afoot? Are we about to be attacked?”

Gladio shook his head. “No, no, no there are no attacks that I can foresee. I’m merely working at the guild to keep up appearances.”

“Huh, the guild eh.” Noct supplied with an amused air. “Is there anything special going on at the guild that I should know about?” he asked innocently.

“No! Will you leave it.” Gladio exclaimed. 

“So you coming back right before dawn with a dorky, happy look on your face means nothing?” 

“Hey, who you callin’ dorky!”

Noct sighed and walked over to where Gladio was leaning against the wall. “At least tell me who you’ve been hanging out with. You have the same human scent stuck to you every time you’ve come back from the guild this week.”

“The guild has mostly humans working there so what do you expect me to come back smelling like, daisies?”

“This is different; it’s not the normal scent you used to have.”

“Astrals above Noct this is ridiculous!” Gladio huffed, “I’m going out and I’ll be back before dawn like I said.” He pushed off from the wall and stomped out into the hallway. 

Noct knew he’d hit a nerve, Gladio didn’t get his feathers ruffled by much. Turning back to his wardrobe he flung open the doors and began rummaging for his traveling outfit. After twenty minutes of preening himself Noct called Iris to his rooms. 

“No.” She simply stated as she entered a few minutes later. “We are not going anywhere.”

“I haven’t even told you the plan!” Noct exclaimed.

“No need, you’re wearing the only outfit you use when you leave the mansion.” Iris replied dryly. “We are not going anywhere today.”

“Last time I checked I still run things around here and we are going out.” Noct insisted.

Iris rolled her eyes and shook her head. It was uncanny how many mannerisms she copied from her brother. “Why exactly do you want to leave?”

“To find out what your brother is hiding from us.” Noct had chosen his words carefully for the greatest impact. Iris immediately became interested and informed him that she was changing for their outing. 

* * *

Gladio cursed his stupid idea of sneaking up on Ignis in the guild kitchen. Ignis had been nothing but jumpy around him since they’d met. Why did he think now would be any different? “Ignis I swear I’m not gonna hurt you, please trust me.” He begged while slowly edging closer to the man. 

Ignis clutched his index finger tightly trying to keep blood from the fresh cut from seeping out. It wasn’t working very well and Gladio could smell every drop of his sweet blood oozing out. The knife he’d been using to cut the skin off an apple lay abandoned nearby. Holding out his arms with his palms up Gladio continued to approach the injured man.

“Don’t come any closer!” Ignis croaked. 

The poor guy had literally backed himself into a corner and was shaking like a leaf. 

“I’m telling you I won’t hurt you why won’t you believe me?” Gladio questioned with concern.

“Your --your eyes and your teeth aren’t right.” Ignis managed.

It was in that moment that Gladio realized he’d partially morphed back into a vampire. Sticking out his tongue he could feel his fangs and suspected his eyes were nearly black. Great, no wonder Ignis was freaking out. “It’s just a reaction from smelling your blood. I can assure you I’m in complete control of my mental faculties. I will not hurt you.” He claimed once more.

Ignis appeared to think on his words this time. Swallowing hard he took a breath. “Can you maybe go back to looking like a human?”

“Uh – sure, yeah hold on a second.” Gladio answered not quite believing he could do what had been asked of him. Ignis’s blood was doing things to his brain. He knew he would never hurt the man but his fangs apparently didn’t get the message. 

Focusing on making them regress seemed to work, until he caught sight of Ignis’ bewildered look. At least he wasn’t shaking anymore. The look of terror that had previously been strewn across his thin face was gone. “That better?” Gladio ventured with a crooked grin. 

Ignis shook his head. “Not exactly, one fang went away the other not so much.”

Frowning Gladio tried once more and felt around with his tongue to make sure it had worked. “How bout now?”

“Better, the fangs are gone but your eyes aren’t right.”

“Why what color are they?” Gladio asked worriedly. He’d messed up once a long time ago mimicking a human’s appearance, and ended up with bright purple eyes. It was a mistake he hoped never to repeat. However, the astrals seemed to be having fun with him tonight. 

“Not normal.” Ignis offered with what could have been a small smile. “They don’t even match.”

“Six!” Gladio huffed. “Can I make sure your finger’s okay and then I’ll work on my freaking face?” The mention of the injury caused Ignis to shrink back into the corner slightly. “Ignis please, I want to help. Remember what I said to you earlier. Let me prove to you that I’m a good vampire.”

It took several long seconds before Ignis slowly offered up his hand for Gladio to inspect. Thankfully the cut on his finger wasn’t deep and had nearly stopped bleeding. “I’m going to wrap it up to help it heal faster.” Gladio waited for Ignis to acknowledge his comment. Finally his friend nodded and Gladio gently pulled him out of the corner and over to the small table in the space.

Ignis remained quiet as Gladio worked to bandage his finger. He seemed to have calmed down enough that he wasn’t flinching at every touch. “I’m so sorry I scared you.”

“I’ll survive.” Ignis added softly. “Or at least I think I will.”

Groaning Gladio pouted. “Ah – that’s a low blow. I promise I’m not going to hurt you. I mean aside from scaring you enough to cut your own hand.” 

Ignis snorted at the comment and shook his head. “I guess I’m still getting used to having a vampire as a friend.”

“Trust me, I’m trying _not_ to come off as terrifying. Apparently, I’m a little rusty in that aspect.” Once he’d finished his task Gladio got up to retrieve the half peeled apple. He carefully took out his own hunting knife and finished removing the skin. Smiling meekly he offered it up to Ignis once he had finished. “So did my eyes go back to normal?”

Ignis reached out and took the fruit. “I think so, I mean they seem like how I remember them. Amber colored.” 

Sighing in relief Gladio leaned against the counter. “That was not how I wanted things to go.”

“I believe you now, if that’s any consolation.” Ignis added as he ate the apple. “That you won’t hurt me.”

“Really? Thank the six!”

* * *

“How long are we going to wait out here in the dark?” Nyx inquired with a teasing lilt. 

“Until I see fit.” Noct growled back.

“Ahh so you don’t have a clue.”

“I want to see this human Gladio has taken an interest in. I need to make sure they are worth his trouble.”

“How exactly do you expect to complete this task without actually traveling into town?” Iris asked from where she was keeping watch just along the tree line of the forest.

“The last time Gladio had a human friend he would take them on walks late at night. I’m hoping he will do it again with this one.” 

“And if he doesn’t come out?” Nyx pondered.

“Then we go back to the mansion and I pick on Gladio when he gets back instead.” Noct supplied indifferently.

“I don’t think we should wait any more than an hour highness. It’s really not a good idea for you to be out to begin with.” Iris worried as she paced in between the trees.

“I’m well fed and well rested at the moment. Anything that dares attack us will regret it.” The prince smugly answered. “Besides that is why you two are out with me. You’re supposed to usher me away at the first sign of danger.”

“I still don’t think he’s going to come out this way.” Nyx lamented. “It’s such a long shot.”

“Care to wager some money on that Nyx?”

Iris groaned in the background. Their little stake out was far from orthodox and most likely would end up with them all going back home without spotting Gladio. A bout of fresh air would be their only claim of activity for the night.

* * *

Gladio patiently waited while Ignis finished his apple and stood up from the table. “Hey so I was wondering if you might want to go for a stroll?” He tried as he walked forward slightly. “The night air will help calm your nerves.”

“I’m not so sure that’s a wise idea Gladio. We could run into a vampire and then what would happen?”

“I’d tell them to go away and we’d continue on with our walk.” He supplied with toothy grin. “Come on you deserve some time to unwind.”

Sighing Ignis tilted his head. “You’re not going to give up on this idea are you?”

Gladio shook his head and reached out to rest a hand on Ignis’ shoulder. “Seriously you’re safe with me.”

“Fine, but I don’t want to stay out for very long.”

“It’ll be nice, I know a good spot where you can see the lamplight of the next town over. Its right near the forests edge just north of town.”

Gladio could tell that Ignis was tense as they walked down the main road away from the guild. Deciding that walking closer might help. Gladio was practically bumping shoulders with the man after he adjusted his pace. Ignis didn’t seem bothered by it and even leaned in. 

It was just past two am and no one else was out in the streets. The path to the outlook was another ten minute walk from town. Thankfully the moon was out and cast a soft light for them to walk by. Peeking over Gladio caught Ignis looking at the stars with wonder. “Don’t get to see them much anymore do you?” He queried. 

“Hmm – oh I suppose not. Drautos doesn’t like me to go on night hunts and I stay inside when the sun goes down.”

“I’d be happy to go with you anytime you want to stargaze.” Gladio couldn’t tell if Ignis’ face tinged pink at the comment. He needed more light to confirm whether or not the man was blushing. Smiling instead he continued on towards the overlook. It was right at the forests edge and provided the last place to see the surrounding countryside before the trees blocked the view.

“Oh my, this is wonderful.” Ignis supplied as he took in the rolling vista.

The Eos presented itself differently at night. The small towns and outposts cast a soft glow in the distance and made the harshness of the landscape recede. Looking over to the next town Gladio tried to pick out the town square. “Hey Ignis check this out.”

Turning around to get his attention Gladio was alarmed to find Ignis wandering away, towards the forests edge. “Ignis, where are you going? The woods aren’t safe right now.” The human ignored his protests and continued on as if in a daze. Running to catch up Gladio went into full battle mode. Ignis’ eyes were glazed over and he was clearly not in control of his mind. He was being charmed. 

Quickly wrapping his arms around Ignis prevented him from advancing any further. Shit this was bad. The charmer spell was strong and that meant there was a very powerful vampire nearby. Scanning the tree line showed no signs of movement. Then he felt a pull on his own mind. The sensation was odd and after a minute he managed to break the connection. However, in that timespan he’d unwittingly walked them within a few feet of the forest. 

Continuing to hold Ignis with his left arm he reached his free hand to grab his broad sword. The weapon came free easily from its holster on his back. “What do you want?” He demanded as Ignis blankly stared off into the distance. He was conscious but still not present. 

“I don’t like it when you hide things from me.” A familiar voice replied. 

Gladio was dumbstuck. “What the hell are you doing out here?! You need to go back to the mansion it isn’t safe.”

“I wanted to see this human you befriended.” Noct supplied as he stepped out from behind a large tree.   
“Bring him here.”

“NO!” Gladio bellowed, “You don’t get to keep him, he’s a free human.”

“What exactly is it you think I’m going to do?” Noct huffed.

The second the prince closed his mouth Ignis closed his eyes and passed out. Forced to put down his sword Gladio hefted Ignis into his arms. “Noct! I just made a new friend don’t screw this up!” Gladio exclaimed. 

The prince sighed and spanned the few remaining feet between them. “I simply desire to know his intentions regarding you.” 

“He doesn’t have any!” Gladio defended. 

“Oh, or so you think.” Noct smiled smugly.

Gladio sighed through his nose. “Why do you feel the need to pick on me?” 

“It’s fun.” Noct offered like it was obvious as he poked at Ignis’ arm.

“Didn’t seem like fun when you charmed us and drained my friend.” 

“I didn’t drain him!” Noct exclaimed, “I only looked into his mind to make sure he wasn’t going to double cross you.” 

Gladio stared down at his liege. Noct’s pale features stood out in the dark like the moon against the night sky. “You made him pass out.” He added dryly.

“Okay, look I may have done that, but I didn’t drain his energy that much to do it. He was tired already.”

Unsure of how to proceed, Gladio stayed silent and waited. 

Noct shuffled on his feet after a minute and narrowed his eyes at the taller vampire. “I didn’t want him to have any memories of me should he get drained by another vampire or questioned by the guild captain.” 

“Fair enough.” Gladio admitted, “So did you see anything sinister? Am I safe from the human?” He asked teasingly.

“Stop being a dork. Go, take your human home. I’ve seen enough and you’re sucking all the fun out of the situation.”

A choking noise erupted from a nearby tree and Nyx leaned out. “Sucking all the fun? You couldn’t think of something else to say?” Nyx shook his head and looked at Gladio with sympathy.

“He’s not my human.” Gladio corrected.

Noct raised an eyebrow and blinked slowly. “Nope, not believing that statement at all.” Opening his mouth to fight back Gladio was shushed by the prince. “Go. I’m fine, I’ve seen what I needed. Your human likes you. Our secret is safe.” Noct turned and with a swish of heavy fabric stalked back into the forest.

“Wait? What do you mean he likes me?” Gladio asked still holding onto Ignis’ sleeping form. Noct was already gone and headed home. He was incredibly fast for a vampire and Gladio knew he’d never catch up to him. A twig snapping zeroed in Gladio’s attention once more. Iris stepped out into the moonlight. 

“Can I take a look?” She asked shyly. 

Gladio wasn’t one to say no to his little sister so he begrudgingly nodded and she skipped over. 

“Oh he’s handsome.” She crooned once she got closer. “What’s his name?”

“Ignis.” Gladio supplied. “Now go do your job and make sure no one followed them back.” He urged with a bob of his head.

Iris smiled sweetly and nodded. “Yes sir, sir. I’m on it.” Spinning around she bounded back off into the forest. 

His sister was a small spritely looking vampire but she packed a powerful punch. Being a noble vampire meant she could mimic human’s appearance and charm like him. Instead of shapeshifting her other specialty was draining, or mind reading. Gladio knew she would ensure Noct wasn’t followed getting home. Now he had to figure out how to explain what had happened when Ignis woke up. 

* * *

Shifting his weight Ignis started to realize he wasn’t lying in bed. He was comfortable and pried his eyes open to gather more information. The night sky greeted him as did Gladio’s smiling face peering down at him. 

“Hey sleepyhead, about time you woke up.” He quipped. 

Furrowing his brow Ignis thought long and hard. When did he decide to take a nap outside? His memories seemed fuzzy but he thought he remembered going for a walk. “I don’t nap.” He announced.

“You must have been tired because you’ve been sleeping for nearly an hour.”

Ignis was still very much confused. He moved his arm to rub his eyes and discovered Gladio’s heavy cloak draped over him. It finally dawned on him the reason he was mostly comfortable lying on the ground had to do with Gladio. He currently had his head cradled in the vampires lap. “What happened?” He asked still unsure of why his brain was so muddled.

“We were looking at the stars and you got sleepy.” 

“Wait, that’s it, I got sleepy and took a bloody nap out in the middle of a field?”

“Pretty much.” Gladio nodded. 

“No, that can’t be right.” Ignis huffed though he made no effort to move. He was warm and felt safe despite the setting. 

“Let me know when you’re ready and I’ll walk you back to the guild.”

Grunting in affirmation Ignis took his time getting up. The walk back was mostly silent. Gladio even started humming softly at one point. Finally once they’d reached the guild Ignis paused and turned to his friend. “Are you sure we didn’t meet anyone else on our walk?”

“I think you would’ve remembered that if we did.” 

“Perhaps.” Ignis mused. “Oh well. Thank you for the company this evening Gladio, I enjoyed our outing together.”

“Me too! If you don’t mind I’ll stop by again in a few days to say hi.”

“I’d like that very much.”

“Go inside and rest, try not to overwork yourself before I stop by later.”

“No guarantees Gladio, but I shall endeavor to follow your advice.” Ignis supplied as he unlocked the back door. “I’ll see you soon then.” He smiled.

“Definitely!” Gladio grinned as he stepped forward and engulfed Ignis in a bear hug. 

Ignis was sure his back cracked from the force of the hug but it felt good none the less. Waving goodbye a minute later he shuffled inside and upstairs to his room. Ignis strangely enough was looking forward to the new adventures that awaited him. Not many people could claim to be friends with a giant fuzzy bat. Smiling to himself he crawled into bed and passed out to pleasant dreams. 

**Author's Note:**

> Check me out on tumblr if you want. Just mostly FFXV stuff with some random dribbles. [BGN846 Blog](https://bgn846.tumblr.com/)
> 
> or Twitter [ BGN846 Twitter](https://twitter.com/BGN846?lang=en)
> 
> Please don't copy or plagiarize my work. Thanks!


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